Gas pump



Dec. 31, 1940. WYDLE 2,226,539

GAS PUMP Filed Nov. 12, 1938 710 2 /76 HI ll I I [03 H 716 720 INVENTOR JOHANN -J. WYDLER ATTORNEY PRESSURE Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES GAS PUMP Johann J. Wydler, Westfield, N. 1., assignor to Power Patents Company, Hillside, N. 3., a corporation of Maine Application November 12, 1938, Serial No. 240,016

11 Claims.

This invention relates to gas pumping, and has particular reference to an improvement in apparatus adapted for utilizing the potential energy of hot gases under relatively low pressure 5 for inducing flow of cold gases. The invention of the present application is a continuation in part of and improvement on that described in my copending concurrently filed application S. N. 240,015 for Gas Dumping.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for transferring potential energy carried by the hot waste combustion gases discharged from an internal combustion engine to one or more bodies of cold fluid. Another object is that of providing apparatus for eiflciently transforming the pressure and temperature energy of a hot body or stream of gas into kinetic and pressure energy in other cold gas bodies.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the novel construction of apparatus adapted to practice the invention of my aforementioned application, to-which apparatus I have applied the generic term gas displacement and breather pump. Essentially this apparatus consists of a vertically disposed enclosed chamber having a valved gas inlet ported out into its top, and valved gas inlet and outlet ports opening into its base, and further having a recuperator mounted 30 therein in such operating relation as to adapt the apparatus for practicing the cycle described in my aforementioned copending application. Essentially the first part of this operating cycle consists in utilizing the pressure energy in a ,7, body of hot gas to compress and then discharge a body of cold gas originally present in the chamber of the pump by displacement of the cold gas with hot gas, while holding both bodies of gas in stratified direct contact relation. The 49 second part of the cycle consists in expanding the hot gas within the chamber to atmospheric pressure, thereafter cooling the hot gas down to substantially atmospheric temperature whereby the volume shrinks and a partial vacuum is developed, and utilizing said vacuum to induce inflow to the chamber of another body of cold gas in suilicient volume to redevelop atmospheric pressure conditions within the chamber.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent irom the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a pressure-volume diagram illustrating the variation in absolute pressure combined with the movement of the gas fronts inside a displacement and breather type gas pump over one complete cycle;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a vertical pump showing a vertically movable cooling unit; i

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a modification of a vertical pump provided with two vertically spaced cooling units;

Fig. i is a vertical sectional view of a pre ferred pump design fitted with one cooling unit *1 which operates only during part of the cycle;

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are sectional diagrammatic views of the preferred modification 0! Fig. l, each view representing the different distribution of the gaseous strata at different periods of one eye e; l i

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the stratified layers of hot gas, cooled gas, and fresh air at substantiallythe end. of the compression period, point ll of Fig, 1;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional View showing the whole vessel at the end of the discharge period filled substantially with hot gas only at instant H5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing two Stratified gas layers comprising gas cooled down and fresh air at the end of the suction intake process, instant 20, Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a pressurevolume diagram of the cycle of a displacement 30 and breather type gas pump operating in the low pressure range on internal combustion. engine exhaust gas. The exhaust gases are handled within a special displacement and breather pump 22, 24, or 26, as shown respectively in the modifications of Figs. 2, 3, and 4, which show vertlcal types of pumps similar in principle to' a type of pump described in my aforementioned application Serial No. 240,015 flied concurrently herewith.

The exhaust gases discharged during a considerable number of engine cycles are collected and handled within the pump over a period of time of several seconds and subjected, after having expanded down to atmospheric pressure level, to an intensive cooling process. Following up the movement of the gas-fronts, an indicator card is obtained which in many respects has the characteristics of a normal card of a piston engine with outside admission. The upper part of the card from H) to Hi demonstrates the compression and discharge period of the cycle, and the lower part from iii to 2!) demonstrates the cooling and intake period.

During the filling up and displacement period I0I2-I4I6 (Fig. l), the hot gas is admitted to the pumps 22, 24, or 26 and the cold gases left in there from the previous cycle are pushed out. The energy transfer from the hot to the cold gas is equivalent to the area I0I2-I4-I6.

At the end of the displacement period, which is point I6 on the diagram 01' Fig. 1, the pumps 22, 24, and 26 are filled up entirely with fresh hot rarefied gases at substantially atmospheric pressure. During the cooling process I6-I820, this gas shrinks to about one-third of its volume and thus allows for cold outside air or for a corresponding portion of the previously discharged gas to be drawn into the pumps. Such a process may be properly specified as a breathing process. The drawing in of air into the pumps of course may also be used for power production; and, it is just as valuable a potential source of power as the ranges above atmospheric pressure. It is therefore the chief additional gain above present day performance in exhaust turbine systems.

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically a vertical displacement breather type pump 22. The pump 22 has a top cover 28 in which a hot exhaust gas inlet valve 30 is mounted. The valve 30 controls flow of gas from an engine exhaust pipe 32. Suitably secured to the bottom of the pump is a bottom closure 34 which has mounted therein an inlet with valve 36 for cold air and an outlet with valve 38 for the cold gas. The valves 36 and 38 are also respectively positioned to open and close a cold airline 40 and a cold exhaust line 42. Top and bottom perforated plates 44 and 46 inside the pumps and adjacent the covers 28 and 34 baflle. the gas flow, and thereby prevent turbulent intermixing of the hot and cold gases.

A cooling recuperator 48 is mounted for reciprocation vertically from the bottom to the top of the pump by any suitable apparatus. Inlet and outlet pipes 50 and 52 respectively, for circulating the cooling fluid through recuperator 48, are adapted to slide vertically in the guides 64. A fan 56 is rotated by suitable drive mechanism 58 which is connected to the fan by bevel gearing 60, and the drive mechanism has a. clutch 62 adapted for throwing the fan in and out of operation in timed relation with the position of I the recuperator 48. The operation of the fan 56 and that of the cooling unit 46 can be suitably timed from the power plant to which the pump is connected.

In the modification of the pump 24 shown in Fig. 3, which is similar in. some respects to the pump 22, like reference characters will indicate similar parts and only the different parts will need to be described in detail. The cooling apparatus of the pump 24 is divided into two similar recuperator units 64 and 66, respectively referred to as the upper and lower cooling units. In this pump either the upper unit 84 or the lower unit 66 will be working while the other is idle.

The cooling units 64 and 66 are each constructed of a pair of vertically spaced radiator sections 68 and I0, suitably connected to a supply of cooling water. A fan I2 is mounted for rotation between the radiators 68 and 10 by a set of bevel gears I4. The drive mechanism I6 is adapted to revolve either the upper or lower fan, but never both together. A driving gear I8 is slideably mounted to be thrown in and out of mesh with one of two gears 80 and 82 for driving either the upper or lower fan. The gears 80 and 82 are so positioned that an actuating mechanism 84 for reciprocating the gear I8 in and out, may connect the gear 18 to the gear 80 for a certain interval of time and then the gear I8 may be connected to the gear 82 for a certain interval of time. The actuating mechanism 84 is connected to the power unit for timing the operation of the cooling units over a definite period. Shutters 86 for each cooling unit 64 and 66 are mounted in position to prevent by their closure circulation of gas through the cooling units during certain periods.

In the pump design which is shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, a vertical type of breather pump is disclosed which is a preferred embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, although the pump operates on the cycle as shown in Fig. l, the cooling system which will be described later operates only during part of the cycle.

The breather pump 26 shown in Fig. 4 is similar in certain details of construction to those of Figs. 2 and 3, but is larger in diameter because of the subdivision of the pump space into three concentric communicating chambers to allow for definitely controlled movement of the gas strata during the different cyclic steps, and which is to be further described in detail. The pump 26 has a top cover 28, on which is mounted an inlet valve 30 for the hot exhaust gases. The valve 30 is operated to open and close an engine exhaust line 32. A perforated plate 44 at the top of the pump functions as a baille to prevent turbulent intermixing of the hot and cold gases in the pump. The closure for the bottom of the pump 26 is connected to a cold air inlet line 40 and a cold exhaust discharge line 42 in which are respectively mounted an inlet valve 36 and an exhaust gas valve 38. The valves 30, 36, and 38 are adapted to be suitably actuated in timed sequence from the power unit to which the pump 28 is connected.

Inside of the pump 28 are mounted two up-- right cylinders I04 and I06 of unequal diameter which are disposed in concentric spaced relation coaxially of the vertical pump chamber and have both ends open. A cooling recuperator unit I08 is mounted at the lower end of the cylinder I04. An upper set of shutters H0 and a lower set of shutters II2 are mounted in position to cut oil circulation of gas over the cooling unit I08. A fan H4 is arranged between spaced radiators H6 and H8 of the cooling unit I08. Water or other cooling fluid is circulated through radiators H6 and H8 by-pipes 50, 5|, 52.

The larger cylinder I06 has a perforated bottom plate I 20. A second rotatably mounted plate or shutter I22 is Journaled in closely spaced relation to the bottom plate I20 and is fitted with perforations I24 matching perforations I26 in the plate I20. By slowly rotating the plate I22 by means of a gear I28 the bottom of the cylinder I06 can be opened and closed in properly timed intervals by bringing the perforations in shutter I22 into or out of register with the perforations in plate I20.

A vertical shaft I30 is mounted at the bottom of the pump 26 and is connected to drive the fan II4. The shaft I30 is rotated by a Set of bevel gears I32. The mechanism for driving the fan I I4 and the mechanism for actuating the gear I28 are adapted to be connected to the power unit to which the pump is connected for suitably timing the various operations during the cycle of the pump.

The hot exhaust inlet valve 30, the cold gas inlet valve 36, and the cold gas outlet valve 38 of the pump 26'are actuated in timed sequence from an upper cam shaft I34 and a lower cam shaft I36 which are operatively connected by a vertical shaft I36. Bevel gearing I40 and I42 serve to operatively connect these several shafts. The cam shaft I36 which actuates the valves 36 and 36 also operates the fan II4 by means of the bevel gearing I32. The shaft I36 is preferably operated from'the engine which is furnishing the hot products of combustion or exhaust gas, and

preferably at a reduced speed which in the preferred modification is'within the range of to substantially & of engine speed. However, it is to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to this speed of operation.

The shutters H0 and H2 are suitably operated from cams I44 mounted on the vertical driving shaft I36. The shutters are suitably timed to operate as shown in Figs. 4, 5i6 and 7.

The valve actuating mechanisms for the pumps shown in Figs. 2 and 3 may be similar to that'of the pump 26, Fig. 4. In the modification of the pump 26, Fig. 5, wherein the pump 26 is designed for precompressing atmospheric air for superline I48 to an intake manifold of either the internal combustion engine to which the exhaust pump is connected or to some other engine which it is desired to supercharge.

The shutter plate I22 is also operated at a suitable speed so that the bottom of the cylinder I06 can be opened and closed in the proper intervals as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. The gear I26 is operated through a vertical shaft I50 cperatively connected to the shaft I26 by bevel gearing I52.

The three periods of a cycle for pump 26 are best shown diagrammatically in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. During the admission period I0-I2-I4, Figs. 1 and 5, the valve 30 is open, and the valves 36. 38, and I46 are closed. The rotary shutter I22 is open during the entire admission period. The radiator shutters III and H2 are open during the greater portion of the hot gas admission period and are closed only after the desired amountof cold gas has been discharged. In Fig, 5 the upper part of the pump 26 above the imaginary line I54 is shown as filled with hot exhaust gases. The lower section carries the cool exhaust gas and fresh air, with the cool gas lying between the imaginary line I54 and an imaginary line I56. The fresh air is entirely distributed below the imaginary line I56.

During the discharge and expansion period I2--I4---I6, Figs. 1 and 6, the admission valve 30 stays open from I2-I4 and from there on remains closed for the remainder of the cycle. The valve 36 remains closed, and. valve 38 is opened from I2 to I6. The hot exhaust gas expands and pushes the lower cold gas content out until the pump is filled up with the hot gases. The shutters H0 and H2 may be timed from the power unit to close during the last part of the cold gas discharge period along line I4 to I6 of Fig. 1, after the lower strata of hot gas (line I54 of Fig. 5) has dropped below the shutter level 0.

During the cooling period I6I6--20, Figs. 1 and '7, the valves 30 and 38 are closed, while the valve 36 is opened from I6 to 20, or preferably IB-20. The shutters H0 and H2 are opened.

and the shutter or plate I22 is so operated that there is no direct flow of gases from the bottom of the pump into the chamber within cylinder I06. The hot gases are drawn by the fan H4 down through the inner cylinder i04 and forced through the radiators H6 and H6. They then circulate continuously upwardly between the cylinde'rs I04 and I06, and down through the cylinder I04. The resulting drop in pressure inside the-pump 26 causes the cold air to flow through the open valve 36 to the space between the cylinder I06 and the housing of the pump until the gases are cooled down entirely and the shrinking process is finished. The fresh air fills the space outside of the cylinder I06 up to the imaginary line I56. The valve 56 is then closed and the shutter I22 is opened. The heavier cold air is then in communication with the inside of the cylinders I04 and I06 and the top strata air level will drop to approximately the level of imaginary line I54 in Fig. 5 as the cold air spreads out over the full lower part of the pump. The cycle is then finished. It is evident that the cold and hot gas zone will stay stratified'best in a pump preferably of small diameter, where the area of contact for heat transfer by conduction and radiation is also smallest.

'According to a modified operating cycle for 'pump 26 the rotary shutter I22 remains closed throughout the entire air intake period and throughout a major portion of the hot gas intake and displacement period Il-I4. Thus according to this plan of operation the body of air which fills that portion of the pump outside of the cylinder I00 up to the imaginary line I58. (Fig. '7) at the end of the air intake period, is discharged from the bottom of the pump by displacement action of the hot gas admitted by valve 30, and the shutter I22 is opened only after substantially all of the uncontaminated air has been discharged. During the latter part of the displacement period I4--I6 of this modified cycle, the cooled exhaust gases inside cylinder I06 of the pump are discharged from the lower portion of the pump in the usual manner.

The type of pump shown in Figs. 4-7 is better suited as an air compressor and supercharger than the other pump modifications. It is parrticularly superior to the others insofar as it preserves the pure character of atmospheric air sucked in during the cooling period more efliciently than the other modifications.

The preferred embodiments of this invention herein described are capable of certain modifications without departure from the scope of the invention to be defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A gas pump comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical chamber; a gas inlet ported into the top of the chamber and a gas inlet and agas outlet ported out in the bottom of the chamber, valves in each of the said gas inlets and said gas outlet, a

pair of recuperative heat interchangers mounted respectively in the top portion and the lower portion of the chamber, a pair of gas circulating elements associated respectively with each of said recuperators, and mechanism whereby either one of said gas circulating elements can be actuated while the other element is disconnected from the actuating means.

2. A displacement and breather pump comprising an upright vessel having enclosing side and end walls, a plurality of upright open-ended tubular partitions mounted in spaced concentric relation within said vessel to form communicably connecting concentric chambers and passages, a valved supply pipe for introducing hot gas under pressure into the upper part of said vessel, a valved discharge pipe for cold ga's leading off from the bottom of the vessel, a valved supply pipe for cold gas opening into the bottom of said vessel, a recuperator mounted in the chamber formed within the inner partition, and a shutter mounted at the base of the chamber formed by theouter partition in operative position to interrupt direct communication between said chamber and the lower part of the vessel.

3. In a gas pump, an upright cylindrical vessel having side and end wall closures, a gas inlet ported out in the top of said vessel, 2. gas inlet and a gas outlet both ported out in the lower part of said vessel, valves disposed in position to open and close each of said gas inlets and gas outlet, 9. number oi! upright open-ended tubular partitions disposed in concentric spaced relation within the vessel to form communicably connecting chambers and passages, a recuperator mounted in the chamber formed within the inner partition, gas circulating mechanism disposed in operative relation to the recuperator, and a shutter disposed in position to control circulation of gas between the chamber formed within the outer partition and the lower part of the ves- S81.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 together with actuating and timing mechanism for controlling the operation of each of said valves, gas circulating mechanism, and shutter.

5. In a gas pump, an upright vessel having side walls and end closures, a valved gas inlet ported into the top of said vessel, 2. valved gas inlet and avalved gas discharge opening into the base of said vessel, a pair of open ended vertically disposed tubular partitions disposed concentrically within said vessel in laterally and vertically spaced relation, thereby forming communicably connecting chambers and passages, and a shutter closure for the bottom of the larger partition adapted to interrupt direct communication between the chamber within said partition and the bottom 01' the vessel. v

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 together with a recuperator mounted within the chamber enclosed by the inner partition, and a shutter mechanism mounted in position to interrupt direct communication between the bottom of said inner chamber and the lower portion of the surrounding chamber. 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 together with a gas circulating element disposed in close operative relation to said recuperator, and actuating and timing mechanism operatively connected to each of said gas inlet and outlet valves, shutter and gas circulating element.

8. In a. gas pump, an upright vessel having side walls and end closures, a valved gas inlet opening into the top of said vessel, a valved gas inlet and a valved gas outlet opening into the base of said vessel, a pair of open-ended tubular partitions disposed in upright concentric relation within said vessel with their side walls and ends in laterally and vertically spaced relation to form communicably connecting chambers and passages within said vessel, 8. recuperator positioned within the chamber formed within the inside partition, and a shutter located in position to interrupt flow of gas through said inner chamber and recuperator.

9. In a gas pump, an elongated cylindrical chamber having an enclosing wall construction adapting it as a pistonless pump operable in one cycle both above and below atmospheric pressure, a gas inlet opening into one end of said chamber, a conduit for conducting to said inlet hot gaseous products of combustion under pressure, another cold gas inlet and a cold gas outlet both ported out at the other end of said chamber, valve mechanism arranged for periodically switching communication between the chamber and the respective gas inlets and gas outlet, means arranged to periodically develop a partial vacuum within said chamber, andactuating and timing mechanism for operating the valve mechanism and vacuum developing means.

10. In a gas pump, an enclosed chamber, a gas inlet pipe ported out into the top of said cham her, a gas inlet pipe and a gas discharge pipe ported out in the bottom of said chamber, valves mounted in each of said gas inlets and said gas discharge, a recuperator mounted within said chamber and having connections for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid from an outside source therethrough, said recuperator being movably mounted for reciprocation within the chamber, and mechanism for controlling and timing the operations of each oi! the valves.

11. In a gas pump, an enclosed chamber, a gas inlet pipe ported out into the top of said chamher, a gas inlet pipe and a pair of gas discharge pipes ported out in the bottom of said chamber,

valves mounted in each of said gas inlets and gas discharges, a recuperator mounted ,within said chamber and having connections for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid from an out side source therethrough, and mechanism for controlling and timing the operations of each of the valves.

JOHANN J. WYDLER. 

